the love hymnal
by singingofdeath
Summary: It's Elena's wedding day, and she couldn't be happier with her husband-to-be.


I just called to say I love you  
I just called to say how much I care  
I just called to say I love you  
And I mean it from the bottom of my heart

* * *

"Are you sure about this?" Elena hears from Jeremy, questioning in his tone.

"Jer, please. Don't-" She began, but Jeremy nodded.

"You love him, and he's good for you. I'm just worried about my sister," he smiled, nudging her shoulder.

"I love you, Jer," she smiles, pulling him in for a big hug. She couldn't believe it was happening-_her wedding day_.

Last night she was nearly sick to her stomach with excitement, and now that it's here, she doesn't want it to be over too quickly. She wants it to last forever: to see her fiance watch her walk down the isle, to see the look on his face when he catches sight of her extravagant dress. She had searched for ages it seemed to find the perfect one. Her past dresses had been all kinds of styles, and she has decided on a new one for her special day. A white (Elena would never stray from tradition) form fitting dress to her knees, that followed to spread out from there. A thin white veil covered the dress, gathered at the neck with a circular silver neck piece and slightly treading behind her frame. It was so unlike any other that she couldn't help herself to picking it.

"And here's the lovely bride-to-be!" Caroline and Bonnie giggled as they came in, all smiles and laughs. "Is my Elena excited?"

Elena smiled, "I could barely sleep." They both came and created a group hug with her. "Thanks, girls. I could never do all of the makeup and hair myself."

"I'm out," Jeremy said, closing the door behind him.

"That's what we're for," Caroline winked, ignoring Jeremy's exit. "Now, sit in my lovely chair and we will begin!" Elena did so, picking at the blue thread hanging off her fluffy robe. "Hmm, Bonnie!"

"Yes, Care?" Bonnie asked from across the room. She had been admiring the dress hanging up.

"What should we start with?"

"Makeup."

"Makeup it is!" She washed off Elena's face and began, slowly applying the thin foundation and light eye shadow. Elena had asked for natural based makeup because she knew how her soon-to-be-husband loved her in the mornings: no makeup, messy hair, tired eyes and sleepy smiles.

Elena couldn't help but replay the night he had proposed. They had been just sitting out on the porch at her house after a day of hanging out with everyone-Stefan, Caroline, Bonnie, Jeremy, Matt, Tyler, and April-at the Mystic Grill, playing pool and taking shots. Damon (Because wasn't it obvious by now, she thought, that he'd be the one she'd be with forever?) and her were relaxing, laughing at Stefan and Caroline's awkward drunken kiss after a successful pool shot and Jeremy's prank on Matt, when Damon suddenly blurted "I'm in love with you," to which Elena laughed and replied, "So am I."

"I want to marry you," he said suddenly, as if the thought had suddenly crossed his mind as he spoke it.

"So do I," she replied nonchalantly. Damon looked lost in thought until he heard the words and he looked at her.

"You do?"

"Yes, Damon, now come closer and keep me warm," she breathed, tightening the blanket around her body.

Elena hadn't felt nervous then, or even surprised. Honestly, she had waited for it and wanted it. Even if they couldn't have children, or grow old together, or die, (the cure didn't exist, and Elena nearly broke when she found out, as did Damon: she had to watch him cry for days and she believed she could never cry any harder as she had during those weeks) Damon was the love of her life and she wanted to be with him forever. _Literally_.

"Wow, look here," Caroline smiled, shaking Elena back to reality. Elena caught sight of herself and nearly cried. Caroline did it all perfectly. Her makeup was natural and her eyelashes dark and full and her hair was half put up, both curly and wavy, small white flowers threaded through the ringlets.

"Care..." Elena breathed, and she got a tight hug from behind from her friend. "Thank you."

"Don't be silly, it's my pleasure! Now we gotta slip that dress on!" Caroline helped Elena up and let her undress, the blue robe slipping to the tiled floor. She stepped into the unzipped dress and closed her eyes. She wanted her whole completed look to be a surprise, and so she let Caroline zip her up and adjust it on her. When she heard Caroline gasp and start to cry, she opened them, her eyes glued to the full length mirror standing in the corner.

And there she was: fully dressed for the best day of her life. She could barely breathe she was so shocked at the whole prospect. She turned around and almost shouted Damon's name to come and see but she remembered she wouldn't see him for another hour. How could it be that she already missed him?

Bonnie came over and mulled over her, eyes wet and big. "You're so beautiful, 'Lena." Elena smiled and carefully hugged them all.

"Is the bride allowed to call her fiance?" Elena asked. Caroline sighed and agreed to let her, and Elena jumped to get her phone.

"-But!" Caroline stopped her, "No words of how you look!"

"I won't, Caroline," Elena grinned.

She grabbed her phone off the vanity top where they had earlier did her hair and makeup and pressed 2 for Damon's number on speed dial (Elena had not yet deleted her first speed dial, her mother's number, even if she had accepted she was not going to return). He picked up on the second ring, a breathless "Hello?" from his end.

"Hey," she mumbled, a smile tugging at her lips. "I miss you."

"Only 52 minutes and 23 seconds," he replied.

"52 minutes and 21 seconds," Elena giggled. She heard Caroline sigh from across the room but could feel the admiration hidden beneath it. "I just want to see you already."

"_You_ want to see _me_? You're the one dressed up in a gorgeous gown just for me. Hell, I'm about to die over here from the wait." Elena waited a few minutes to hear his breathing over the speaker.

"How's Stefan?" she finally asked.

"He's still here, complaining about being separated from Caroline."

"Typical," Elena laughed.

"Hey!" Caroline defended. Elena smirked at her.

"Is Jer there?"

"Stop asking questions and tell me what you're feeling," Damon said, a loving sort of need behind his command.

"I'm feeling excited, and anxious," Elena replied. "You?"

"It feels unreal," he said, a catch in his voice.

"I'll see you soon," she promised. "I'll show you how real it all is."

"'Lena, get off the phone!" Bonnie shouted.

"I see the witch is calling for you," Damon teased.

"Yeah, I gotta go. I'll see you in 45 minutes and 43 seconds," Elena smiled.

"See you then," Damon murmured. Elena hung up and put the phone back in her bag, her palms tingling with anxiety.

"Elena, you'll eat vanilla cake right? The baker screwed up and thought we said vanilla cake and not frosting." Bonnie asked.

"I'll eat anything," Elena said.

"Thank god," Bonnie muttered. She put her phone up to her ear and said "Yes, that's fine. Thank you." After hanging up she and Caroline walked over and softly made sure everything looked perfect before they walked to the doors of the main church building. Elena had questioned why Damon was so adamant about them getting married by a priest in a church, but after hearing the story of his mother telling him she'd dreamed of him getting married in one, she never wanted to do anything else but get married here to him.

"Are you ready?" Caroline asked, and Elena nodded, swallowing the knot of worry in her throat. "It'll be okay," she smiled. Bonnie agreed and they both gave her one last hug. "We love you." Elena nodded and closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing.

She imagined Damon there with her, those beautiful blue eyes crinkled at the sound of her voice, the warmth of his hand in hers. His strong arms wrapped around her frame seemed so real she didn't shake any longer, and she didn't open her eyes until Caroline lightly touched her arm to signal the ceremony was going to start.

Elena reminded herself to stay calm and she took the bouquet from Bonnie's hands (when did Bonnie pick those up? Elena was so nervous she couldn't remember), full red roses stark against her white outfit. Caroline and Elena had decided that the bouquet shouldn't draw attention off her dress, so they made sure it wasn't fancy or detailed in any way.

Elena shook her hair a small bit and gripped the flowers, the butterflies in her stomach swarming madly. She replayed Damon's words in her head: _I'm about to die over here from the wait. _She smiled at the memory.

The music began, echoing through the oak doors. "Here we go, 'Lena," Bonnie smiled. Caroline gave her a nod and a soft squeeze on her shoulder for comfort. Both Caroline and Bonnie were going to be the flower girls and the bridesmaids (they made her promise when they heard the news), and Elena decided to walk alone without a father figure to give her away, so Caroline and Bonnie stood in front of her alone with their white petals and the big doors opened.

The sanctuary was full with the whole town, almost every seat filled with a familiar face. There was Stefan and Jeremy at the front as the best man's, Matt in the front row with April and five reserved seats with no one seated in it for Alaric, Jenna, Elena's parents, and Damon's mom. Elena's heart clenched at the empty spots, but she knew they were watching them and she faintly smiled at the thought. Liz and Tyler were seated in the second row, and then Elena's eyes drifted to the front where _he_ stood.

Damon Salvatore, her fiance. Dressed in a full white outfit, like the god he is.

Caroline and Bonnie began to walk, and Elena followed, her eyes trained on Damon's trembling lip at the sight of her. Elena gave him a huge smile, teeth and all. His eyes were watery and his eyes wide, breathless over her.

God, she couldn't believe she was here. It felt like just yesterday she was turned, and she fought for him, and she finally got him. They made love and saved each other in every way a person could be. They got rid of the originals and they left Mystic Falls for good, they convinced their friends they were truly in love, they went through hell over the cure and Silas, but after it all, they were together. They were getting _married_.

They all three reached the steps to the podium and Damon stepped down to help her up, her arm resting on his. Caroline and Bonnie took their places next to Elena, and Elena took her place facing Damon, her hands in his.

"Elena..." Damon whispered, eyes glazing over her figure in awe of her beauty.

"I told you it was real," Elena teased.

"We gather here today..." the priest began, but Elena was too distracted by Damon to do anything but say "I do" when she needed and give Damon his ring and let Damon put her ring on her finger. The ring was thin and worn, but it had been Damon's mom's ring, and Elena was honored to have it be hers.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride." Damon smiled and leaned forward, no trouble of a veil because Elena didn't like any for the dress she chose, and his lips softly touched hers. He tasted like heaven and her hand brushed his cheek. The crowd cheered, and the kiss broke, but Damon took Elena's hand to replace it. Everyone came and hugged them and walked to the reception where Damon broke out champagne and nearly sprayed everyone, and Damon followed by missing Elena's mouth with the bite of cake and it fell to the ground, which everyone got a good laugh out of. Elena only smiled and kissed him, her forehead resting against his for a minute in their own world until they returned to the party.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Elena and Damon decided to have their honeymoon in Mystic Falls, in Elena's home. They told everyone not to come to the house and they complied with a suggestive wink. After the reception was over, they ran out and it was time to throw the bouquet. Elena turned around and threw, and a squeal came from April's mouth and a lot of laughs from the crowd. Matt smiled and put an arm around her shoulder. Elena waved and shouts of "Bye guys!" and "Have fun!" were echoed from the town.

"Ready?" Damon asked, a hand held out to Elena's. Elena smiled and softly took it, gripping his large hand tightly.

"Forever and always," Elena replied.

**FIN/END**


End file.
